U.S. patent application number 17/640120 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-22 for patient support apparatuses with nurse call connection detection.
The applicant listed for this patent is Stryker Corporation. Invention is credited to Krishna Sandeep Bhimavarapu, Alexander Josef Bodurka, Scott Kuebler, Jerald A. Trepanier.
Application Number | 20220301416 17/640120 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006435785 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220301416 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bodurka; Alexander Josef ;
et al. |
September 22, 2022 |
PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH NURSE CALL CONNECTION
DETECTION
Abstract
A patient support apparatus includes a frame, a patient support
surface, and a nurse call cable interface adapted to
communicatively couple to a wall-mounted nurse call outlet having a
plurality of pins to thereby allow the patient to communicate with
a remotely positioned nurse. One or more sensors are included that
detect when the cable is plugged into the nurse call outlet and/or
when the bed is communicatively coupled to the nurse call system.
The controller may activate an indicator when the sensor detects
that the bed is not coupled to the nurse call system outlet,
automatically select whether to communicate with the nurse call
system via a wireless transceiver or via the nurse call cable
interface based on the sensor output, and/or inform the caregiver
when a headwall module spaced from the bed is not communicatively
coupled to the nurse call system outlet.
Inventors: |
Bodurka; Alexander Josef;
(Portage, MI) ; Trepanier; Jerald A.; (Kalamazoo,
MI) ; Bhimavarapu; Krishna Sandeep; (Kalamazoo,
MI) ; Kuebler; Scott; (Delton, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Stryker Corporation |
Kalamazoo |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000006435785 |
Appl. No.: |
17/640120 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2020 |
PCT Filed: |
September 3, 2020 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2020/049125 |
371 Date: |
March 3, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62896075 |
Sep 5, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 40/63 20180101;
G08B 26/008 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08B 26/00 20060101
G08B026/00; G16H 40/63 20060101 G16H040/63 |
Claims
1-17. (canceled)
18. A patient support apparatus comprising: a litter frame; a
support deck supported by the litter frame, the support deck
adapted to support a patient thereon; a nurse call cable interface
adapted to receive a first end of a nurse call cable, the nurse
call cable including a second end adapted to couple to an outlet of
a nurse call system, the outlet mounted to a headwall of a
healthcare facility; a communication sensor adapted to detect when
a communication channel is successfully established between the
nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system, and to detect
when the communication channel is not successfully established
between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system;
an indicator; and a controller in communication with the
communication sensor and the indicator, the controller adapted to
activate the indicator when the communication sensor detects that
the communication channel is not successfully established between
the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
19. The patient support apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first end
of the nurse call cable includes a 37-pin connector, the nurse call
cable interface includes a complementary 37-pin connector, the
communication sensor is a voltage sensor adapted to detect voltage
on two of the pins, and the controller is adapted to conclude that
the communication channel is successfully established when voltage
is detected on either or both of the two pins.
20. (canceled)
21. The patient support apparatus of claim 19 wherein a first one
of the two pins is a Nurse Call Plus pin and a second one of the
two pins is a Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC)
pin.
22. The patient support apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a
display in communication with the controller, wherein the
controller is adapted to display a dismissable popup window on the
display when the communication sensor detects that the
communication channel is not successfully established between the
nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
23. The patient support apparatus of claim 18 wherein the indicator
comprises a light adapted to illuminate a nurse call connection
icon and wherein the controller is adapted to activate the light
with a green color when the communication sensor detects that the
communication channel is successfully established between the nurse
call cable interface and the nurse call system, and the controller
is adapted to activate the light in a different color when the
communication sensor detects that the communication channel is not
successfully established between the nurse call cable interface and
the nurse call system.
24-25. (canceled)
26. The patient support apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a
wireless network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server
on a local area network via a wireless access point of the local
area network, wherein the controller is further adapted to send a
message to the server when the communication sensor detects that
the communication channel is not successfully established between
the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
27. The patient support apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a
wireless transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a
headwall module mounted to the headwall of the healthcare
facility.
28. The patient support apparatus of claim 27 wherein the
controller is adapted to automatically send data to the nurse call
system via the wireless transceiver when the communication sensor
detects that the communication channel is not successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system, and to automatically send data to the nurse call
system via the nurse call cable interface when the communication
sensors detects that the communication channel is successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system.
29-30. (canceled)
31. The patient support apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a
cable sensor adapted to detect when the nurse call cable is
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface and when the
nurse call cable is not physically coupled to the nurse call cable
interface, wherein the cable sensor comprises at least one of the
following: (a) a Hall effect sensor adapted to detect a presence of
the first end of the nurse call cable when the first end of the
nurse call cable is plugged into the nurse call cable interface;
(b) an inductive sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first
end of the nurse call cable when the first end of the nurse call
cable is plugged into the nurse call cable interface; (c) a Reed
switch sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the
nurse call cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is
plugged into the nurse call cable interface; or (d) an optical
sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the nurse
call cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is plugged
into the nurse call cable interface.
32. (canceled)
33. A patient support apparatus comprising: a litter frame; a
support deck supported by the litter frame, the support deck
adapted to support a patient thereon; an exit detection system
adapted to issue an alert when the exit detection system is armed
and the patient exits the patient support apparatus; a nurse call
cable interface adapted to receive a first end of a nurse call
cable, the nurse call cable including a second end adapted to
couple to an outlet of a nurse call system, the outlet mounted to a
headwall of a healthcare facility; a wireless transceiver adapted
to wirelessly communicate with a headwall module mounted to the
headwall of the healthcare facility, the headwall module adapted to
be physically coupled to the outlet; and a controller adapted to
communicate the alert to the nurse call system when the exit
detection system detects the patient has exited the patient support
apparatus, the controller adapted to automatically select whether
to communicate the alert to the nurse call system via the wireless
transceiver or via the nurse call cable interface.
34. The patient support apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a
cable sensor adapted to detect when the nurse call cable is
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface and when the
nurse call cable is not physically coupled to the nurse call cable
interface, and wherein the controller is adapted to automatically
select to communicate the alert to the nurse call system via the
nurse call cable interface when the cable sensor detects that the
nurse call cable is physically coupled to the nurse call cable
interface, and to automatically select to communicate the alert to
the nurse call system via the wireless transceiver when the cable
sensor detects that the nurse call cable is not physically coupled
to the nurse call cable interface.
35-36. (canceled)
37. The patient support apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a
communication sensor adapted to detect when a communication channel
is successfully established between the nurse call cable interface
and the nurse call system, and to detect when the communication
channel is not successfully established between the nurse call
cable interface and the nurse call system; and wherein the
controller is adapted to automatically select to communicate the
alert via the wireless transceiver when the communication sensor
detects that the communication channel is not successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system, and to automatically select to communicate the alert
via the nurse call cable interface when the communication sensor
detects that the communication channel is successfully established
between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call
system.
38. (canceled)
39. The patient support apparatus of claim 37 wherein the first end
of the nurse call cable includes a 37-pin connector, the nurse call
cable interface includes a complementary 37-pin connector, the
communication sensor is a voltage sensor adapted to detect voltage
on two of the pins, the controller is adapted to conclude that the
communication channel is successfully established when voltage is
detected on either or both of the two pins, and a first one of the
two pins is a Nurse Call Plus pin and a second one of the two pins
is a Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC) pin.
40-41. (canceled)
42. The patient support apparatus of claim 37 further comprising a
wireless network transceiver adapted to communicate with a server
on a local area network via a wireless access point of the local
area network, wherein the controller is further adapted to send a
message to the server when the communication sensor detects that
the communication channel is not successfully established between
the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
43. (canceled)
44. The patient support apparatus of claim 33 wherein the wireless
transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver, wherein the patient support
apparatus further comprises an infrared transceiver adapted to
communicate with the headwall module, and wherein the controller
automatically pairs the patient support apparatus with the headwall
module using information received from the headwall module via the
infrared transceiver.
45. The patient support apparatus of claim 33 wherein the wireless
transceiver is adapted to receive a message from the headwall
module, the message indicating at least one of the following: (a)
the headwall module is not physically coupled to the outlet of the
nurse call system, or (b) the headwall module is not physically
coupled to the outlet of the nurse call system; and wherein the
controller is adapted to use the message when selecting whether to
communicate the alert to the nurse call system via the wireless
transceiver or via the nurse call cable interface.
46. A patient support apparatus comprising: a litter frame; a
support deck supported by the litter frame, the support deck
adapted to support a patient thereon; a nurse call cable interface
adapted to receive a first end of a nurse call cable, the nurse
call cable including a second end adapted to couple to an outlet of
a nurse call system, the outlet mounted to a headwall of a
healthcare facility; a sensor adapted to detect if the nurse call
cable interface is communicatively coupled to the outlet; a
wireless transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a
headwall module mounted to the headwall of the healthcare facility,
the headwall module adapted to be physically coupled to the outlet,
the wireless transceiver adapted to receive a message from the
headwall module indicating that the headwall module is not
communicatively coupled to the outlet of the nurse call system; a
user interface; and a controller in communication with the wireless
transceiver, the sensor, and the user interface, the controller
adapted to control the user interface to inform the caregiver when
the sensor detects that the nurse call cable interface is not
communicatively coupled to the outlet and to inform the caregiver
when the wireless transceiver receives the message indicating that
the headwall module is not communicatively coupled to the outlet of
the nurse call system.
47. The patient support apparatus of claim 46 further comprising: a
first indicator; and a second indicator; wherein the controller is
adapted to activate the first indicator when the sensor detects
that the nurse call cable interface is communicatively coupled to
the outlet and to activate the second indicator when the wireless
transceiver receives the message indicating that the headwall
module is not communicatively coupled to the nurse call system.
48. The patient support apparatus of claim 46 wherein the user
interface includes a display and the controller is adapted to
display a first message on the display when the sensor detects that
the nurse call cable interface is not communicatively coupled to
the outlet and to display a second message on the display when the
wireless transceiver receives the message indicating that the
headwall module is not communicatively coupled to the nurse call
system.
49-52. (canceled)
53. The patient support apparatus of claim 46 wherein the sensor is
a cable sensor adapted to detect when the nurse call cable is
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface and when the
nurse call cable is not physically coupled to the nurse call cable
interface, and wherein the cable sensor comprises at least one of
the following: (a) a Hall effect sensor adapted to detect a
presence of the first end of the nurse call cable when the first
end of the nurse call cable is plugged into the nurse call cable
interface; (b) an inductive sensor adapted to detect a presence of
the first end of the nurse call cable when the first end of the
nurse call cable is plugged into the nurse call cable interface;
(c) a Reed switch sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first
end of the nurse call cable when the first end of the nurse call
cable is plugged into the nurse call cable interface; or (d) an
optical sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the
nurse call cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is
plugged into the nurse call cable interface.
54. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. No. 62/896,075 filed Sep. 5, 2019, by inventors
Alexander Bodurka et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES
WITH NURSE CALL CONNECTION DETECTION, the complete disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to patient support
apparatuses, such as beds, cots, stretchers, recliners, or the
like. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to patient
support apparatuses that are adapted to communicate with an
existing nurse call system.
[0003] Existing hospital beds often include an exit detection
system that detects when the patient leaves the bed and notifies a
nurse call system that the patient has left the bed. Existing
hospital beds also often include a nurse call button and a speaker
that together allow the patient to communicate with a remote nurse
using the nurse call system. Still other features and/or
information regarding the bed may also be communicated to and/or
through the nurse call system, or to a room interface board that
controls various aspects of the room in which the patient support
apparatus is positioned (e.g. volume, channel, and power of a
television, room temperature, room lights, etc.).
[0004] In many existing hospitals, the conventional nurse call
system includes a cord-out sensor that detects when a nurse call
cable between the bed and a nurse call outlet gets disconnected
from the nurse call outlet. Often, an alert is issued by the nurse
call system when the cord-out sensor detects that the nurse call
cable is disconnected from the nurse call outlet. However, many
nurse call systems include a cancel or override feature that shuts
down this cord-out alert when the caregiver desires to remove the
cable from the nurse call outlet. It is therefore possible for beds
to be positioned within a room without having their nurse call
cable plugged into the nurse call outlet, and without having any
alert issued by the nurse call system to appropriate
caregivers.
SUMMARY
[0005] According to various embodiments, the present disclosure
provides one or more improved features for detecting when a patient
support apparatus is connected to, and/or disconnected from, a
conventional nurse call system. In at least one embodiment, the
present disclosure provides a patient support apparatus that
includes one or more cable sensors to detect when a nurse call
cable is coupled to the patient support apparatus. Alternatively,
or additionally, the patient support apparatus may include a
communication sensor that detects when a communication channel has
been established between the patient support apparatus and the
nurse call system. Still further, the patient support apparatus may
be configured to automatically select using wired or wireless
communication to communicate with the nurse call system based upon
the detection of a cable and/or a wired communication channel, or
the lack of detection of a cable and/or a wired communication
channel. Still other features and functions may be provided, as
will be apparent from the following description.
[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a
patient support apparatus is provided that includes a litter frame,
a support deck, a nurse call cable interface, a cable sensor, an
indicator, and a controller. The support deck is supported by the
litter frame and adapted to support a patient thereon. The nurse
call cable interface is adapted to receive a first end of a nurse
call cable. The nurse call cable includes a second end adapted to
couple to an outlet of a nurse call system. The outlet may be
mounted to a headwall of a healthcare facility. The cable sensor is
adapted to detect when the nurse call cable is physically coupled
to the nurse call cable interface and when the nurse call cable is
not physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface. The
controller is adapted to activate the indicator when the cable
sensor detects that the nurse call cable is not physically coupled
to the nurse call cable interface.
[0007] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the
cable sensor may include one or more of the following: a Hall
effect sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the
nurse call cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is
plugged into the nurse call cable interface; an inductive sensor
adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the nurse call
cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is plugged into
the nurse call cable interface; a Reed switch sensor adapted to
detect a presence of the first end of the nurse call cable when the
first end of the nurse call cable is plugged into the nurse call
cable interface; and/or an optical sensor adapted to detect a
presence of the first end of the nurse call cable when the first
end of the nurse call cable is plugged into the nurse call cable
interface.
[0008] In some embodiments, the first end of the nurse call cable
includes a 37-pin connector, the nurse call cable interface
includes a port adapted to couple to the 37-pin connector, and the
patient support apparatus further comprises a communication sensor
adapted to detect when a communication channel is successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system.
[0009] In some embodiments, the communication sensor is a voltage
sensor adapted to detect voltage on two of the pins, and the
controller is adapted to conclude that the communication channel is
successfully established when voltage is detected on either or both
of the two pins. A first one of the two pins may be a Nurse Call
Plus pin and a second one of the two pins may be a Priority
Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC) pin.
[0010] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus further
includes a display in communication with the controller. The
controller is adapted to display a dismissable popup window on the
display when the cable sensor detects that the nurse call cable is
not physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface.
[0011] The indicator may comprise a light adapted to illuminate a
nurse call connection icon. In such embodiments, the controller may
activate the light with a green color when the nurse call cable is
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface, and with a
different color (or no color) when the nurse call cable is not
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface. The different
color, in some embodiments, is amber.
[0012] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus further
includes a wireless network transceiver adapted to communicate with
a server on a local area network via a wireless access point of the
local area network. In such embodiments, the controller is further
adapted to send a message to the server when the sensor detects
that the nurse call cable is not physically coupled to the nurse
call cable interface.
[0013] The patient support apparatus may further include a wireless
transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a headwall
module mounted to the headwall of the healthcare facility. In such
embodiments, the controller may be adapted to automatically send
data to the nurse call system via the wireless transceiver when the
sensor detects the nurse call cable is not physically coupled to
the nurse call cable interface, and to automatically send data to
the nurse call system via the nurse call cable interface when the
sensor detects the nurse call cable is physically coupled to the
nurse call cable interface.
[0014] In some embodiments, the wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth
transceiver. Still further, in some embodiments, the patient
support apparatus may further comprise an infrared transceiver
adapted to communicate with the headwall module. In such
embodiments, the controller automatically pairs the patient support
apparatus with the headwall module using information received from
the headwall module via the infrared transceiver.
[0015] A patient support apparatus according to another embodiment
of the present disclosure includes a litter frame, a support deck,
a nurse call cable interface, a communication sensor, an indicator,
and a controller. The support deck is supported by the litter frame
and is adapted to support a patient thereon. The nurse call cable
interface is adapted to receive a first end of a nurse call cable.
The nurse call cable includes a second end adapted to couple to an
outlet of a nurse call system. The outlet may be mounted to a
headwall of a healthcare facility. The communication sensor is
adapted to detect when a communication channel is successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system, and to detect when the communication channel is not
successfully established between the nurse call cable interface and
the nurse call system. The controller is adapted to activate the
indicator when the communication sensor detects that the
communication channel is not successfully established between the
nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
[0016] According to other aspects, the first end of the nurse call
cable may include a 37-pin connector and the nurse call cable
interface may include a port adapted to couple to the 37-pin
connector. In such cases, the communication sensor may be a voltage
sensor adapted to detect voltage on two of the pins. Further, the
controller may be adapted to conclude that the communication
channel is successfully established when voltage is detected on
either or both of the two pins. In some embodiments, a first one of
the two pins is a Nurse Call Plus pin and a second one of the two
pins is a Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC) pin.
[0017] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus further
includes a display in communication with the controller. The
controller is adapted to display a dismissable popup window on the
display when the communication sensor detects that the
communication channel is not successfully established between the
nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
[0018] In some embodiments, the indicator comprises a light adapted
to illuminate a nurse call connection icon.
[0019] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus further
includes a wireless network transceiver adapted to communicate with
a server on a local area network via a wireless access point of the
local area network. In such embodiments, the controller is further
adapted to send a message to the server when the communication
sensor detects that the communication channel is not successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system.
[0020] The patient support apparatus may further include a wireless
transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with a headwall
module mounted to the headwall of the healthcare facility. In such
embodiments, the controller may be adapted to automatically send
data to the nurse call system via the wireless transceiver when the
communication sensor detects that the communication channel is not
successfully established between the nurse call cable interface and
the nurse call system, and to automatically send data to the nurse
call system via the nurse call cable interface when the
communication sensors detects that the communication channel is
successfully established between the nurse call cable interface and
the nurse call system.
[0021] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus also
includes a cable sensor adapted to detect when the nurse call cable
is physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface and when
the nurse call cable is not physically coupled to the nurse call
cable interface. The cable sensor may be any one of more of (a) a
Hall effect sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first end of
the nurse call cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is
plugged into the nurse call cable interface; (b) an inductive
sensor adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the nurse
call cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is plugged
into the nurse call cable interface; (c) a Reed switch sensor
adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the nurse call
cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is plugged into
the nurse call cable interface; and/or (d) an optical sensor
adapted to detect a presence of the first end of the nurse call
cable when the first end of the nurse call cable is plugged into
the nurse call cable interface.
[0022] A patient support apparatus according to another embodiment
of the present disclosure includes a litter frame, a support deck,
an exit detection system, a nurse call cable interface, a wireless
transceiver, and a controller. The support deck is supported by the
litter frame and is adapted to support a patient thereon. The exit
detection system is adapted to issue an alert when the exit
detection system is armed and the patient exits the patient support
apparatus. The nurse call cable interface is adapted to receive a
first end of a nurse call cable. The nurse call cable includes a
second end adapted to couple to an outlet of a nurse call system.
The outlet may be mounted to a headwall of a healthcare facility.
The wireless transceiver is adapted to wirelessly communicate with
a headwall module mounted to the headwall of the healthcare
facility. The headwall module is adapted to be physically coupled
to the outlet. The controller is adapted to alert the nurse call
system when the exit detection system detects the patient has
exited the patient support apparatus. The controller is further
adapted to automatically select whether to communicate the alert to
the nurse call system via the wireless transceiver or via the nurse
call cable interface.
[0023] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the
patient support apparatus further includes a cable sensor adapted
to detect when the nurse call cable is physically coupled to the
nurse call cable interface and when the nurse call cable is not
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface. In such
embodiments, the controller automatically selects to communicate
the alert to the nurse call system via the nurse call cable
interface when the cable sensor detects that the nurse call cable
is physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface.
Additionally, or alternatively, the controller automatically
selects to communicate the alert to the nurse call system via the
wireless transceiver when the cable sensor detects that the nurse
call cable is not physically coupled to the nurse call cable
interface.
[0024] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus further
comprises a communication sensor adapted to detect when a
communication channel is successfully established between the nurse
call cable interface and the nurse call system, and to detect when
the communication channel is not successfully established between
the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system. In such
embodiments, the controller automatically selects to communicate
the alert via the wireless transceiver when the communication
sensor detects that the communication channel is not successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system. The controller may additionally, or alternatively, be
configured to automatically select to communicate the alert via the
nurse call cable interface when the communication sensor detects
that the communication channel is successfully established between
the nurse call cable interface and the nurse call system.
[0025] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus includes
a Bluetooth transceiver and an infrared transceiver that are both
adapted to communicate with a headwall module. In such embodiments,
the controller automatically pairs the patient support apparatus
with the headwall module using information received from the
headwall module via the infrared transceiver.
[0026] In some embodiments, the patient support apparatus includes
a wireless transceiver that is adapted to receive a message from
the headwall module, the message indicating at least one of the
following: (a) the headwall module is not physically coupled to the
outlet of the nurse call system, or (b) the headwall module is not
physically coupled to the outlet of the nurse call system. The
controller, in such embodiments, is adapted to use the message when
selecting whether to communicate the alert to the nurse call system
via the wireless transceiver or via the nurse call cable
interface.
[0027] A patient support apparatus according to another embodiment
of the present disclosure includes a litter frame, a support deck,
a nurse call cable interface, a sensor, a wireless transceiver, a
user interface, and a controller. The support deck is supported by
the litter frame and is adapted to support a patient thereon. The
nurse call cable interface is adapted to receive a first end of a
nurse call cable. The nurse call cable includes a second end
adapted to couple to an outlet of a nurse call system. The outlet
may be mounted to a headwall of a healthcare facility. The sensor
is adapted to detect if the nurse call cable interface is
communicatively coupled to the outlet. The wireless transceiver is
adapted to wirelessly communicate with a headwall module mounted to
the headwall of the healthcare facility. The headwall module is
adapted to be physically coupled to the outlet, and the wireless
transceiver is adapted to receive a message from the headwall
module indicating that the headwall module is not communicatively
coupled to the outlet of the nurse call system. The controller is
adapted to control the user interface to inform the caregiver when
the sensor detects that the nurse call cable interface is not
communicatively coupled to the outlet and to inform the caregiver
when the wireless transceiver receives the message indicating that
the headwall module is not communicatively coupled to the outlet of
the nurse call system.
[0028] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the
patient support apparatus further comprises a first indicator and a
second indicator. The controller is adapted to activate the first
indicator when the sensor detects that the nurse call cable
interface is not communicatively coupled to the outlet and to
activate the second indicator when the wireless transceiver
receives the message indicating that the headwall module is not
communicatively coupled to the nurse call system.
[0029] In some embodiments, the user interface includes a display
and the controller is adapted to display a first message on the
display when the sensor detects that the nurse call cable interface
is not communicatively coupled to the outlet and to display a
second message on the display when the wireless transceiver
receives the message indicating that the headwall module is not
communicatively coupled to the nurse call system.
[0030] In some embodiments, the sensor is a communication sensor
adapted to detect when a communication channel is successfully
established between the nurse call cable interface and the nurse
call system, and to detect when the communication channel is not
successfully established between the nurse call cable interface and
the nurse call system.
[0031] In some embodiments, the sensor is a cable sensor adapted to
detect when the nurse call cable is physically coupled to the nurse
call cable interface and when the nurse call cable is not
physically coupled to the nurse call cable interface.
[0032] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the principles
of the present disclosure may be alternatively applied to a
stretcher, a chair, a cot, and/or a recliner, or another type of
patient support apparatus that is adapted to communicate with a
nurse call system outlet.
[0033] Before the various embodiments disclosed herein are
explained in detail, it is to be understood that the claims are not
to be limited to the details of operation or to the details of
construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the
following description or illustrated in the drawings. The
embodiments described herein are capable of being practiced or
being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed
herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including" and
"comprising" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items
listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional
items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in
the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly
stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting
the claims to any specific order or number of components. Nor
should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the
scope of the claims any additional steps or components that might
be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a patient support apparatus
according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a litter frame and a pair of
lift header assemblies of the patient support apparatus;
[0036] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base and a pair of lifts
of the patient support apparatus;
[0037] FIG. 4 is a diagram of the patient support apparatus shown
communicatively coupled to a first embodiment of a wireless
headwall module mounted in a room of a healthcare facility;
[0038] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a
wireless headwall module that may be used to communicate with the
patient support apparatus;
[0039] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of several of the structures of
FIG. 4 showing some of the internal components of the wireless
headwall module and the patient support apparatus;
[0040] FIG. 7 is a popup window that may be displayed on a display
of the patient support apparatus when cable communication between
the patient support apparatus and the nurse call system is not
operative;
[0041] FIG. 8 is a popup window that may be displayed on a display
of the patient support apparatus when cable communication between
the wireless headwall module and the nurse call system is not
operative;
[0042] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a cable
sensor that may be used with the patient support apparatus to
detect the presence/absence of a nurse call cable;
[0043] FIG. 10 is a plan view of second and third embodiments of a
cable sensor that may be used with the patient support apparatus to
detect the presence/absence of a nurse call cable;
[0044] FIG. 11 is a side view of a fourth embodiment of a cable
sensor that may be used with the patient support apparatus to
detect the presence/absence of a nurse call cable;
[0045] FIG. 12 is an end view of the fourth embodiment of a cable
sensor that may be used with the patient support apparatus to
detect the presence/absence of a nurse call cable;
[0046] FIG. 13 is an electrical schematic of a first monitoring
circuit that may be integrated into the patient support apparatus
and/or the wireless headwall module for detecting a connection to
the nurse call system;
[0047] FIG. 14 is an electrical schematic of a second monitoring
circuit that may be integrated into the patient support apparatus
and/or the wireless headwall module for detecting a connection to
the nurse call system, either in lieu of or in addition to, the
first monitoring circuit;
[0048] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a prior art 37-pin male
cable connector;
[0049] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a prior art 37-pin female
cable connector; and
[0050] FIG. 17 is a chart of a prior art example of the functions
of the pins of a 37-pin cable often used in existing healthcare
facilities.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0051] An illustrative patient support apparatus 20 according to a
first embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 1.
Although the particular form of patient support apparatus 20
illustrated in FIG. 1 is a bed adapted for use in a hospital or
other medical setting, it will be understood that patient support
apparatus 20 could, in different embodiments, be a cot, a
stretcher, a recliner, a chair, or any other patient support
structure that communicates with a nurse call outlet of a
conventional nurse call system.
[0052] In general, patient support apparatus 20 includes a base 22
having a plurality of wheels 24, a pair of lifts 26 supported on
the base 22, a litter frame 28 supported on the lifts 26, and a
support deck 30 supported on the litter frame 28. Patient support
apparatus 20 further includes a footboard 32 and a plurality of
side rails 34. Side rails 34 are all shown in a raised position in
FIG. 1 but are each individually movable to a lower position in
which ingress into, and egress out of, patient support apparatus 20
is not obstructed by the lowered side rails 34.
[0053] Lifts 26 are adapted to raise and lower litter frame 28 with
respect to base 22. Lifts 26 may be hydraulic actuators, pneumatic
actuators, electric actuators, or any other suitable device for
raising and lowering litter frame 28 with respect to base 22. In
the illustrated embodiment, lifts 26 are operable independently so
that the tilting of litter frame 28 with respect to base 22 can
also be adjusted. That is, litter frame 28 includes a head end 36
and a foot end 38, each of whose height can be independently
adjusted by the nearest lift 26. Patient support apparatus 20 is
designed so that when an occupant lies thereon, his or her head
will be positioned adjacent head end 36 and his or her feet will be
positioned adjacent foot end 38.
[0054] Litter frame 28 provides a structure for supporting support
deck 30, footboard 32, and side rails 34. Support deck 30 provides
a support surface for a mattress (not shown in FIG. 1), such as,
but not limited to, an air, fluid, or gel mattress. Alternatively,
another type of soft cushion may be supported on support deck 30 so
that a person may comfortably lie and/or sit thereon. The top
surface of the mattress or other cushion forms a support surface
for the occupant. Support deck 30 is made of a plurality of
sections, some of which are pivotable about generally horizontal
pivot axes. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, support deck 30
includes a head section 40, a seat section 42, a thigh section 44,
and a foot section 46. Head section 40, which is also sometimes
referred to as a Fowler section, is pivotable about a generally
horizontal pivot axis between a generally horizontal orientation
(not shown in FIG. 1) and a plurality of raised positions (one of
which is shown in FIG. 1). Thigh section 44 and foot section 46 may
also be pivotable about generally horizontal pivot axes.
[0055] Patient support apparatus 20 further includes a plurality of
user interfaces 48 that enable a user of patient support apparatus
20, such as a patient and/or an associated caregiver, to control
one or more aspects of patient support apparatus 20. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, patient support apparatus 20 includes a
footboard user interface 48a, a pair of outer side rail user
interfaces 48b (only one of which is visible), and a pair of inner
side rail user interfaces 48c (only one of which is visible).
Footboard user interface 48a and outer side rail user interfaces
48b are intended to be used by caregivers, or other authorized
personnel, while inner side rail user interfaces 48c are intended
to be used by the patient associated with patient support apparatus
20. Each of the user interfaces 48 includes a plurality of controls
(not shown), although each user interface 48 does not necessarily
include the same controls and/or functionality. In the illustrated
embodiment, footboard user interface 48a includes a substantially
complete set of controls for controlling patient support apparatus
20 while user interfaces 48b and 48c include a selected subset of
those controls.
[0056] Among other functions, the controls of user interfaces 48
allow a user to control one or more of the following: change a
height of support deck 30, raise or lower head section 40, activate
and deactivate a brake for wheels 24, arm and disarm an exit
detection system and, as will be explained in greater detail below,
communicate with the particular IT infrastructure installed in the
healthcare facility in which patient support apparatus 20 is
positioned. One or both of the inner side rail user interfaces 48c
also include at least one control that enables a patient to call a
remotely located nurse (or other caregiver). In addition to the
nurse call control, one or both of the inner side rail user
interfaces 48c also include a speaker that enables the patient to
hear the nurse's voice and a microphone that converts the patient's
voice to audio signals that are transmitted to the nurse via a
nurse call system.
[0057] Footboard user interface 48a is implemented in the
embodiment shown in FIG. 1 as a control panel having a lid (flipped
down in FIG. 1) underneath which is positioned a plurality of
controls. As with all of the controls of the various user
interfaces 48, the controls of user interface 48a may be
implemented as buttons, dials, switches, or other devices. Any of
user interfaces 48a-c may also include a display for displaying
information regarding patient support apparatus 20. The display is
a touchscreen in some embodiments.
[0058] FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail litter frame 28
separated from lifts 26 and base 22. Litter frame 28 is also shown
in FIG. 2 with support deck 30 removed. Litter frame 28 is
supported by two lift header assemblies 50. A first one of the lift
header assemblies 50 is coupled to a top 52 (FIG. 3) of a first one
of the lifts 26, and a second one of the lift header assemblies 50
is coupled to the top 52 of the second one of the lifts 26. Each
lift header assembly 50 includes a pair of force sensors 54, which
will be described herein as being load cells, but it will be
understood that force sensors 54 may be other types of force
sensors besides load cells. The illustrated embodiment of patient
support apparatus 20 includes a total of four load cells 54,
although it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
different numbers of load cells may be used in accordance with the
principles of the present disclosure. Load cells 54 are configured
to support litter frame 28. More specifically, load cells 54 are
configured such that they provide complete and exclusive mechanical
support for litter frame 28 and all of the components that are
supported on litter frame 28 (e.g. support deck 30, footboard 32,
side rails 34, etc.). Because of this construction, load cells 54
are adapted to detect the weight of not only those components of
patient support apparatus 20 that are supported by litter frame 28
(including litter frame 28 itself), but also any objects or persons
who are wholly or partially being supported by support deck 30.
[0059] The mechanical construction of patient support apparatus 20,
as shown in FIGS. 1-3, is the same as, or nearly the same as, the
mechanical construction of the Model 3002 S3 bed manufactured and
sold by Stryker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Mich. This mechanical
construction is described in greater detail in the Stryker
Maintenance Manual for the MedSurg Bed, Model 3002 S3, published in
2010 by Stryker Corporation of Kalamazoo, Mich., the complete
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. It will be
understood by those skilled in the art that patient support
apparatus 20 can be designed with other types of mechanical
constructions, such as, but not limited to, those described in
commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 7,690,059 issued to Lemire et al.,
and entitled HOSPITAL BED; and/or commonly assigned U.S. Pat.
publication No. 2007/0163045 filed by Becker et al. and entitled
PATIENT HANDLING DEVICE INCLUDING LOCAL STATUS INDICATION,
ONE-TOUCH FOWLER ANGLE ADJUSTMENT, AND POWER-ON ALARM
CONFIGURATION, the complete disclosures of both of which are also
hereby incorporated herein by reference. The mechanical
construction of patient support apparatus 20 may also take on forms
different from what is disclosed in the aforementioned
references.
[0060] Load cells 54 are part of an exit detection system 56 (FIG.
6) that, when armed, issues an alert when the patient exits from
patient support apparatus 20. Exit detection system 56 is adapted
to be armed via user interface 48. After being armed, exit
detection system 56 determines when an occupant of patient support
apparatus 20 has left, or is likely to leave, patient support
apparatus 20, and issues an alert and/or notification to
appropriate personnel so that proper steps can be taken in response
to the occupant's departure (or imminent departure) in a timely
fashion. In at least one embodiment, exit detection system 56
monitors the center of gravity of the patient using the system and
method disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,432
issued to Travis and entitled PATIENT EXIT DETECTION MECHANISM FOR
HOSPITAL BED, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference. In other embodiments, exit detection system 56
determines if the occupant is about to exit, or already has exited,
from patient support apparatus 20 by determining a distribution of
the weights detected by each load cell 54 and comparing the
detected weight distribution to one or more thresholds. In such
embodiments, the center of gravity may or may not be explicitly
calculated.
[0061] Other manners for functioning as an exit detection system
are also possible. These include, but are not limited to, any of
the manners disclosed in the following commonly assigned patent
applications: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/873,734 filed
Oct. 2, 2015, by inventors Marko Kostic et al. and entitled PERSON
SUPPORT APPARATUS WITH MOTION MONITORING; U.S. patent publication
2016/0022218 filed Mar. 13, 2014, by inventors Michael Hayes et al.
and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUS WITH PATIENT INFORMATION
SENSORS; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/266,575 filed Sep.
15, 2016, by inventors Anuj Sidhu et al. and entitled PERSON
SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH EXIT DETECTION SYSTEMS, the complete
disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Further, in some embodiments, load cells 54 may be part of both an
exit detection system and a scale system that measures the weight
of a patient supported on support deck 30. The outputs from the
load cells 54 are processed, in some embodiments, in any of the
manners disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 62/428,834 filed Dec. 1, 2016, by inventors Marko Kostic et al.
and entitled PERSON SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH LOAD CELLS, the
complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0062] Regardless of how implemented, patient support apparatus 20
is adapted to communicate an alert when the exit detection system
is armed and detects that a patient is about to, or has, exited.
The alert is communicated to a conventional nurse call system via a
nurse call cable interface 58 or a nurse call wireless interface 60
onboard the bed (see FIG. 6). The alert may also be communicated
elsewhere using other communication techniques (e.g. WiFi). The
manner in which the alert is communicated to the nurse call system,
as well as the manner in which the bed generally interacts with the
existing IT infrastructure of a typical healthcare facility will
now be described in more detail.
[0063] FIG. 4 illustrates patient support apparatus 20 coupled to
the IT infrastructure 62 of a healthcare facility 64 according to
one common configuration. As shown therein, healthcare facility 64
includes a headwall 66, a nurse call system 68, a plurality of
rooms 70 (70a, 70b . . . 70x), one or more nurses' stations 72, a
local area network 74, one or more wireless access points 76, a bed
server 78, and one or more network appliances 80 that couple LAN 74
to the internet 82, thereby enabling servers and other applications
on LAN 74 to communicate with computers outside of healthcare
facility 64, such as, but not limited to, a geographically remote
server 84. IT infrastructure 62 may be configured to interact with
one or more room televisions 86. It will be understood by those
skilled in the art that the particular components of the IT
infrastructure 62 of healthcare facility 64 shown in FIG. 4 may
vary widely. For example, patient support apparatus 20 may be used
in healthcare facilities having no wireless access points 76, no
connection to the internet 82 (e.g. no network appliances 80),
and/or no bed server 78. Still further, local area network 74 may
include other and/or additional servers installed thereon, and
nurse call system 68, in some healthcare facilities 64, may not be
coupled to the local area network 74. Patient support apparatus 20
is capable of being installed in healthcare facilities 64 having
still other variations of the IT infrastructure 62 illustrated in
FIG. 4. It will therefore be understood that the particular IT
infrastructure 62 shown in FIG. 4 is merely illustrative, and that
patient support apparatus 20 is constructed to be communicatively
coupled to IT infrastructures arranged differently from that of
FIG. 4, some of which are discussed in greater detail below.
[0064] Patient support apparatus 20 is adapted to be
communicatively coupled to a nurse call outlet 88 on headwall 66 by
way of a cable 90 or wirelessly via a wireless headwall module 94.
Wireless headwall module 94 communicates wirelessly with patient
support apparatus 20 and, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a
cable 90a that plugs into nurse call outlet 88. When patient
support apparatus 20 is positioned in a room, such a room 70, and
it is desired for patient support apparatus 20 to communicate with
nurse call outlet 88 via a cable, cable 90a is unplugged from
outlet 88 and replaced with cable 90. It will be understood that,
in some rooms 70 and/or in some healthcare facilities, wireless
headwall module 94 may not be present, and in such cases patient
support apparatus 20 must communicate with nurse call outlet 88 via
a cable 90. However, in those rooms 70 and/or healthcare facilities
64 in which one or more wireless headwall modules 94 are present,
patient support apparatus 20 is configured with the option of
utilizing either wired (e.g. cable 90) or wireless communication
(via module 94) for its communications with nurse call outlet
88.
[0065] Nurse call outlet 88 is coupled to one or conductors 92 that
electrically couple the nurse call outlet 88 to nurse call system
68 and to one or more other devices, such as television 86.
Conductors 92 are typically located behind headwall 66 and not
visible. In some healthcare facilities, conductors 92 may first
couple to a room interface board that includes one or more
electrical connections electrically coupling the room interface
board to television 86 and/or nurse call system 68. Still other
communicative arrangements for coupling nurse call outlet 88 to
nurse call system 68 and television 86 are possible.
[0066] Cable 90 (FIG. 4) enables patient support apparatus 20 to
communicate with nurse call system 68 and/or television 86. A
patient supported on patient support apparatus 20 who activates a
nurse call control on patient support apparatus 20 causes a signal
to be conveyed via cable 90 to the nurse call system 68, which then
sends a notification to one or more remotely located nurses (e.g.
nurses at one of the nurses' stations 72). If the patient uses a TV
control positioned on one of the user interfaces (e.g. user
interface 48c) to change a channel or change the volume of
television 86, the control conveys a signal along cable 90 to the
nurse call outlet 88, and the signal is thereafter passed from
outlet 88 to television 86. As will be discussed in greater detail
below, cable 90 often includes a plurality of pins (e.g. 37 pins),
and the audio signals that are passed between the patient when
positioned on the patient support apparatus 20 and a remotely
positioned nurse are transmitted over a separate set of pins than
the control signals used to control television 86. Additional pins
are used for communicating other information between patient
support apparatus 20 and nurse call system 68 and/or other devices
positioned within room 70 (e.g. television 86).
[0067] In order for patient support apparatus 20 to properly
communicate with nurse call system 68, patient support apparatus 20
needs to be configured in a manner that physically matches the
particular nurse call outlet 88 and that functionally matches how
the nurse call system 68 utilizes the pins of nurse call outlet 88.
In other words, different healthcare facilities 64 may utilize
different brands and/or models of nurse call systems 68, and such
different systems may utilize different types of nurse call outlets
88. One manner of ensuring patient support apparatus 20 is able to
communicate with the particular nurse call system 68 within a given
healthcare facility 64 is to utilize a customized cable 90 that
correctly routes the pins of the cable 90 that are coupled to nurse
call outlet 88 to the pins of cable 90 that are coupled to patient
support apparatus 20. Other manners of ensuring the patient support
apparatus 20 is properly configured to talk to nurse call system 68
via cable 90 are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/945,437 filed Apr. 4, 2018, by inventors
Krishna Bhimavarapu et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES
WITH RECONFIGURABLE COMMUNICATION, the complete disclosure of which
is incorporated herein by reference. Still other manners of
configuring patient support apparatus 20 to match the existing
nurse call system 68 may be utilized.
[0068] Cable 90 includes a first end having a first connector 96
and a second end having a second connector 98 (FIG. 4). First
connector 96 is adapted to be plugged into a nurse call cable
interface 58 positioned on patient support apparatus 20 (FIG. 6).
Second connector 98 is adapted to be plugged into nurse call outlet
88. In many healthcare facilities 64, nurse call outlet 88 is
configured as a 37-pin receptacle. In such facilities, cable 90
includes first and second connectors 96 and 98 having 37 pins (one
of which may be a male connector and the other of which may be a
female connector, although other combinations may be used). One
example of a male 37-pin connector 96, 98 that may be used as first
or second connector 96 or 98 is shown in FIG. 15. One example of a
female 37-pin connector 96, 98 that may be used as first or second
connector 96 or 98 is shown in FIG. 16. Other types of 37-pin
connectors may also be used, depending upon the configuration of
nurse call outlet 88. Still further, in some healthcare
environments, nurse call outlet 88 includes fewer pins and/or has
an arrangement of pins that is shaped to match a cable 90 having
connectors different from what is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Patient
support apparatus 20 is adapted to communicate with all of these
different types of nurse call outlets 88 via an appropriately
selected cable (e.g. one with the proper connectors 96, 98 on its
ends).
[0069] Cable 90a, like cable 90, includes an end having a connector
96a that is adapted to couple to nurse call outlet 88. Connector
96a of cable 90a may be the same as connector 96 of cable 90.
Connector 96a is therefore able to be plugged into outlet 88
instead of connector 96, and vice versa, depending upon whether
patient support apparatus 20 is to communicate with nurse call
system 68 via a wired connection or via a wireless connection.
[0070] FIG. 5 illustrates a headwall module 94a according to
another embodiment of the present disclosure. Headwall module 94a
differs from headwall module 94 in that, rather than including a
cable 90a, it is adapted to plug directly into nurse call outlet 88
via a connector 102. Connector 102 is thus shaped and dimensioned
to be frictionally maintained in an electrically coupled state to
outlet 88, and to support the entire headwall module 94a. One or
more alignment posts 104 may be included with connector 102 in
order to more securely retain headwall module 94a to nurse call
outlet 88, if desired. Connector 102 may be the same as, or nearly
the same as, 1.sup.st connector 96 of cable 90a, thereby allowing
either headwall module 94 or headwall module 94a to be used for a
given nurse call outlet 88.
[0071] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, connector 102 is a 37 pin
connector that includes 37 pins adapted to be inserted into 37
mating sockets of nurse call outlet 88. As noted, such 37 pin
connections are one of the most common types of connectors found on
existing headwalls of medical facilities for making connections to
the nurse call system 68. Such 37 pin connectors, however, are not
the only type of connectors, and it will be understood that
headwall module 94a can utilize different types of connectors 102
(whether integrated therein or attached to a cable) that are
adapted to electrically couple to different types of nurse call
outlets 88. One example of such an alternative nurse call outlet 88
and cable is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 14/819,844 filed Aug. 6, 2015, by inventors Krishna
Bhimavarapu et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH
WIRELESS HEADWALL COMMUNICATION, the complete disclosure of which
is incorporated herein by reference. Still other types of nurse
call outlets 88 and corresponding cable connectors 102 may be
utilized.
[0072] Other than the absence of a cable 90a, headwall module 94a
may be the same as headwall module 94, and the following
description of headwall module 94 will apply equally to both
headwall module 94 and headwall module 94a. Headwall module 94 of
FIG. 4 (and headwall module 94a of FIG. 5) includes an electrical
cable 106 having an end adapted to be inserted into a conventional
electrical outlet 108. Electrical cable 106 enables headwall module
94 to receive power from the mains electrical supply via outlet
108. It will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, headwall
module 94 is battery operated and cable 106 may be omitted. In
still other embodiments, headwall module 94 may be both battery
operated and include cable 106 so that in the event of a power
failure, battery power supplies power to headwall module 94, and/or
in the event of a battery failure, electrical power is received
through outlet 108.
[0073] Headwall module 94 may also include a plurality of status
lights 110, such as are shown in FIG. 5. Status lights 110 provide
visual indications about one or more aspects of headwall module 94.
For example, in some embodiments, the illumination of one of status
lights 110 indicates that headwall module 94 is in successful
communication with nurse call system 68 and/or patient support
apparatus 20. The illumination of one or more additional status
lights 110 may also or alternatively indicate that power is being
supplied to headwall module 94 and/or the status of a battery
included within headwall module 94. Still further, in some
embodiments, one or more of status lights 110 may be illuminated
depending upon whether a nurse is talking to the patient, or vice
versa, via certain pins of module 94.
[0074] Headwall module 94 of FIG. 4 (and headwall module 94a of
FIG. 5) is adapted to wirelessly receive signals from patient
support apparatus 20 and deliver the signals to nurse call outlet
88 in a manner that matches the way the signals would otherwise be
delivered to nurse call outlet 88 if a conventional nurse call
cable (e.g. cable 90) were connected between patient support
apparatus 20 and nurse call outlet 88. In other words, patient
support apparatus 20 and headwall module 94 cooperate to provide
signals to nurse call outlet 88 in a manner that is transparent to
nurse call outlet 88 and nurse call system 68 such that these
components cannot detect whether they are in communication with
patient support apparatus 20 via wired or wireless communication.
In this manner, a healthcare facility can utilize the wireless
communication abilities of one or more patient support apparatuses
20 without having to make any changes to their existing nurse call
outlet 88 or to their nurse call system 68.
[0075] In addition to sending signals received from patient support
apparatus 20 to nurse call outlet 88, headwall module 94 is also
adapted to forward signals received from nurse call outlet 88 to
patient support apparatus 20. Headwall module 94 is therefore
adapted to provide bidirectional communication between patient
support apparatus 20 and nurse call outlet 88. Such bidirectional
communication includes, but is not limited to, communicating audio
signals between a person supported on patient support apparatus 20
and a nurse positioned remotely from patient support apparatus 20
(e.g. nurses' station 72). The audio signals received by headwall
module 94 from patient support apparatus 20 are forwarded to nurse
call outlet 88, and the audio signals received from nurse call
outlet 88 are forwarded to one or more speakers onboard patient
support apparatus 20.
[0076] Headwall module 94 also communicates the data and signals it
receives from patient support apparatus 20 to the appropriate pins
of nurse call outlet 88. Likewise, it communicates the data signals
it receives and/or detects on the pins of nurse call outlet 88 to
patient support apparatus 20 via wireless messages. The wireless
messages include sufficient information for patient support
apparatus 20 to discern what pins the messages originated from, or
sufficient information for patient support apparatus 20 to decipher
the information included in the message. In at least one
embodiment, headwall module 94 includes any and/or all of the same
functionality as, and/or components of, the headwall unit 76
disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.
16/215,911 filed Dec. 11, 2018, by inventors Alexander Bodurka et
al. and entitled HOSPITAL HEADWALL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, the
complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Alternatively, or additionally, headwall module 94 may include any
and/or all of the same functionality as, and/or components of, the
headwall interface 38 disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent
publication 2016/0038361 published Feb. 11, 2016, entitled PATIENT
SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH WIRELESS HEADWALL COMMUNICATION, and filed
by inventors Krishna Bhimavarapu et al., the complete disclosure of
which is also incorporated herein by reference. Still further,
headwall module 94 and/or patient support apparatus 20 may include
any of the functionality and/or components of the headwall modules
140, 140a and/or patient support apparatuses 20, 20a, and/or 20b
disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.
62/833,943 filed Apr. 15, 2019, by inventors Alexander Bodurka et
al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH NURSE CALL AUDIO
MANAGEMENT, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
[0077] Further details regarding the manner in which patient
support apparatus 20 communicates with nurse call outlet 88, and
vice versa, as well as the structures involved with that
communication, are provided below and illustrated in FIG. 6. As
shown therein, patient support apparatus 20 includes nurse call
cable interface 58, nurse call wireless interface 60, a controller
112, a cable sensor 116, a network transceiver 118, a communication
sensor 120, exit detection system 56, and one or more user
interfaces 48 (only user interface 48a is shown in FIG. 6, but it
will be understood that the functions discussed below with respect
to user interface 48a may be implemented on other ones of the user
interfaces 48b and/or 48c).
[0078] Nurse call cable interface 58 is adapted to electrically
couple to the plurality of pins 114 of cable connector 96. It will
be understood that, although FIG. 6 shows each of connectors 96 and
98, as well as nurse call outlet 88 and nurse call cable interface
58, having a plurality of pins 114, one or more of these devices
(cable 90, nurse call cable interface 58, and nurse call outlet 88)
will include pin receptacles instead of pins. Such pin receptacles
are adapted to receive and electrically couple to pins 114.
Further, it will be understood that it does not matter which of
these devices includes pins and which includes pin receptacles so
long as each connection between the devices include a combination
of pins and pin receptacles that allow communication between the
mated devices. Consequently, the term "pins" as used herein will
refer to pins and/or pin receptacles.
[0079] In some embodiments, controller 112 is implemented as,
and/or includes, one or more conventional microcontrollers. In
other embodiments, controller 112 may be modified to use a variety
of other types of circuits--either alone or in combination with one
or more microcontrollers--such as, but not limited to, any one or
more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, systems on a
chip, volatile or nonvolatile memory, discrete circuitry, and/or
other hardware, software, or firmware that is capable of carrying
out the functions described herein, as would be known to one of
ordinary skill in the art. Such components can be physically
configured in any suitable manner, such as by mounting them to one
or more circuit boards, or arranging them in other manners, whether
combined into a single unit or distributed across multiple units.
The instructions followed by the microcontroller (if included) when
carrying out the functions described herein, as well as the data
necessary for carrying out these functions, are stored in a memory
(not shown) that is accessible to controller 112.
[0080] It will be understood that nurse call outlet 88, cable 90,
and nurse call cable interface 58 are all illustrated in FIG. 6 as
having only six pins. This is done merely for purposes of compact
illustration. All of these components typically include 37 pins,
although there are other nurse call outlets having different pin
numbers and the principles of the present disclosure can be applied
in healthcare facilities having these types of nurse call systems
as well. The pins that are not shown in FIG. 6 are used by other
components of patient support apparatus 20 for other purposes. For
example, one pin may be used to convey information to nurse call
system 68 and/or an intermediate structure along the path of
conductor 92 (e.g. a room interface board) indicating whether the
patient has pressed a control on patient support apparatus 20 to
turn on or turn off a light in the particular room in which patient
support apparatus 20 is located. Another pin may communicate that
the status of a component onboard patient support apparatus 20,
such as, but not limited to whether one or more side rails 34 are
in a down position (or an up position); whether the position of any
of the side rails 34 changes from an initial state; whether a brake
on patient support apparatus 20 is set; whether the exit detection
system is armed; whether support deck 30 is at its lowest height;
whether head section 40 has pivoted to less than a threshold angle
(e.g. 30 degrees); and whether patient support apparatus 20 has
been set or not to monitor a particular set of conditions. These
various items of data are detected by one or more corresponding
sensors onboard patient support apparatus 20 that are in
communication with nurse call cable interface 58. Still others of
the additional pins may be used for still other purposes.
[0081] Although FIG. 6 illustrates a number of the pins 114 of
nurse call cable interface 58 being fed directly to controller 112,
it will be understood that this is done merely for purposes of
illustrative convenience, and that one or more of these pins 114
may be fed to one or more intermediary structures before being fed
to controller 112. Such intermediary structures may include, but
are not limited to, one or more relays and/or switches whose states
are controlled by controller 112. Additionally, some pins may not
be coupled to controller 112, but may be routed to other structures
within patient support apparatus 20.
[0082] Controller 112 communicates with cable sensor 116,
communication sensor 120, exit detection system 56, user interface
48a, network transceiver 118, and nurse call wireless interface 60.
Cable sensor 116 is adapted to detect when nurse call cable 90 is
physically coupled to nurse call cable interface 58, as well as to
detect when nurse call cable 90 is not physically coupled to nurse
call cable interface 58. Cable sensor 116 reports the detection of
the presence or absence of nurse call cable 90 being physically
coupled to nurse call cable interface 58 to controller 112.
Controller 112 uses this information for one or more purposes,
including, but not limited to, notifying a user of patient support
apparatus 20 via user interface 48a.
[0083] In some embodiments, user interface 48a includes a display
122 (FIG. 6) and a plurality of indicators 124a, 124b, etc. In some
embodiments, the display 122 may take on the form and/or
functionality of the display 64a disclosed in commonly assigned
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/864,638 filed Jun. 21, 2019, by
inventors Kurosh Nahavandi et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT
APPARATUS WITH CAREGIVER REMINDERS, the complete disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference. Still other types of
displays may also be used. User interface 48a may also include a
dashboard of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent
application. Indicators 124a and/or 124b may be part of the
dashboard. Still further, patient support apparatus 20 may be
configured to issue any of the reminders in any of the manners
disclosed in the aforementioned patent application. Other types of
user interfaces 48a, however, may alternatively be used.
[0084] Each indicator 124a and 124b of user interface 48a is
adapted to be illuminated by light of one or more colors. In some
embodiments, indicators 124a and 124b are icons that are backlit by
one or more lights, such as, but not limited to, light emitting
diodes. Controller 112 is adapted to illuminate, in at least one
embodiment, indicator 124a in a particular color (e.g. red or
amber) when cable sensor 116 detects no nurse call cable 90
physically coupled to nurse call cable interface 58. In this
embodiment, controller 112 may be configured to illuminate
indicator 124a in a different color (e.g. green) when cable sensor
116 detects nurse call cable 90 is physically coupled to nurse call
cable interface 58. Indicator 124a is therefore configured to
provide a visual indication to the caregiver associated with
patient support apparatus 20 in order to remind the caregiver to
plug in a nurse call cable 90 to nurse call cable interface 58.
[0085] As an alternative to icons that are backlit, indicators 124a
and/or 124b may be icons that are displayed on display 122 and
whose color and/or other characteristics are changed based upon the
state of cable sensor 116 (e.g. whether a cable 90 is detected or
not). Still further, multiple icons 124a may be provided, one of
which is illuminated when nurse call cable 90 is coupled to nurse
call cable interface 58, and the other of which is illuminated when
no nurse call cable 90 is coupled to nurse call cable interface 58.
As yet another alternative, only a single indicator 124a may be
included that is only illuminated when no cable 90 is detected, and
which is unilluminated when cable 90 is detected (or,
alternatively, vice versa). Still other manners of controlling one
or more indicators 124a and/or 124b may be implemented by
controller 112.
[0086] In addition to, or in lieu of, cable sensor 116, patient
support apparatus 20 may include communication sensor 120.
Communication sensor 120 is adapted to detect when patient support
apparatus 20 is in communication with nurse call outlet 88.
Communication sensor 120 therefore differs from cable sensor 116 in
that it is able to detect communication with nurse call outlet 88
(and thus nurse call system 68), whereas cables sensor 116 only
detects the physical present of cable 90. It is therefore possible
that a cable 90 could be coupled to patient support apparatus 20 at
one end but have its other end disconnected from nurse call outlet
88. In this particular situation, cable sensor 116 would detect
cable 90 is coupled to patient support apparatus 20, but
communication sensor 120 would detect that the cable 90 is not
coupled to the nurse call outlet 88. Communication sensor 120
therefore detects when patient support apparatus 20 is in
communication with nurse call outlet 88, while cable sensor 116
detects the physical presence of cable 90. In some embodiments, as
will be discussed in more detail below, patient support apparatus
20 only includes a single one of these sensors (either cable sensor
116 or communication sensor 120), while in other embodiments (such
as illustrated in FIG. 6), patient support apparatus 20 includes
both sensors.
[0087] In one embodiment, communication sensor 120 detects
communication between patient support apparatus 20 and nurse call
outlet 88 by monitoring the voltage, if any, on at least two pins
114a and 114b of nurse call cable interface 58. In such
embodiments, the two pins are what is commonly referred to as the
Nurse Call Plus (+) pin and what is commonly referred to as the
Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC) pin. FIG. 17
illustrates a typical arrangement and identification of the pins
for a common 37-pin connector. As can be seen therein, pin
twenty-five corresponds to the Nurse Call Plus (+) pin, and pin
thirty corresponds to the Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed
pin. Accordingly, when communication sensor 120 is coupled to a
nurse call cable interface 58 having the pin arrangement shown in
FIG. 17, communication sensor 120 detects the voltage, if any, on
both pins twenty-five and thirty, which correspond to pins 114a and
114b of FIG. 6. If communication sensor 120 detects a voltage on
one or both of these pins, it forwards a message to controller 112
indicating that a communication channel is currently established
between patient support apparatus 20 and nurse call outlet 88. If
no voltage is detected on either of these pins, communication
sensor 120 forwards a message to controller 112 indicating that no
communication channel has been established between patient support
apparatus 20 and nurse call outlet 88.
[0088] Communication sensor 120 monitors the voltage on the two
pins 114a and 114b because it has been found that most
manufacturers of nurse call systems 68 will generate a voltage on
either or both of these pins of their respective nurse call outlets
88. Such voltage typically, although not necessarily always, ranges
from about five to twenty-seven volts. Communication sensor 120, in
at least one embodiment, is constructed to detect any voltage that
is greater than about 0.3 volts (positive or negative), although it
will be understood that this threshold detection level may be
changed. If a voltage of about 0.3 volts or greater is detected on
either pin 114a or pin 114b, or on both of them, communication
sensor 120 concludes that a communication channel currently exists
between patient support apparatus 20 and nurse call outlet 88 (and
thus nurse call system 68), and sends a message to controller 112
indicating the existence of this communication channel, as
mentioned. If no voltage of about 0.3 volts or greater is detected
on either of pins 114a or 114b, communication sensor 120 concludes
that this communication is not present and forwards a message
indicating such to controller 112.
[0089] In some embodiments, patient support apparatus 20 is
configured to control the illumination of indicator 124a based
solely upon the output of communication sensor 120. In these
embodiments, if no voltage is detected on both pins 114a and 114b,
controller 112 illuminates indicator 124a in a red or amber color,
and if communication sensor 120 detects voltage on one or both of
these pins 114a and/or 114b, controller 112 illuminates indicator
124a in a green color. Any of the alternative forms of illumination
and/or variations of indicator 124 that were discussed above with
respect to controller 112's interaction with cable sensor 116 may
also or alternatively be implemented. In at least one of these
embodiments, patient support apparatus 20 does not include a cable
sensor 116.
[0090] In some other embodiments, patient support apparatus 20 is
configured to control the illumination of indicator 124a based
solely upon the output of cable sensor 116. In these embodiments,
controller 112 controls the illumination of indicator 124a in any
of the manners previously described based upon the output of cable
sensor 116. In at least one of these embodiments, patient support
apparatus 20 does not include a communication sensor 120.
[0091] In still another embodiment, controller 112 may be
configured to control indicator 124a based upon outputs from both
cable sensor 116 and communication sensor 120. In such embodiments,
controller 112 may be configured to only indicate that a successful
connection between the patient support apparatus 20 and nurse call
outlet 88 has been established when both sensors 116 and 120 are in
agreement as to the existence of this communication connection.
That is, controller 112 may be configured to illuminate indicator
124a in a green color, for example, only when cable sensor 116
detects a cable 90 is present and communication sensor 120 detects
a voltage on at least one of pins 114a and/or 114b. If either
sensor 116 fails to detect a cable 90 or sensor 120 fails to detect
a communication channel, then controller 112 controls the
illumination of indicator 124a to indicate that no communication
channel currently exists between patient support apparatus 20 and
nurse call outlet 88 (e.g. indicator 124a is illuminated in a red
color). Still other manners of controlling the illumination of
indicator 124a may be utilized that are based on the outputs of
both sensors 116 and 120.
[0092] In some embodiments, patient support apparatus 20 is also,
or alternatively, configured to communicate with nurse call outlet
88 in a wireless manner (e.g. without cable 90). In such
embodiments, patient support apparatus 20 includes nurse call
wireless interface 60 adapted to communicate with the wireless
headwall module 94. Nurse call wireless interface 60, in the
example of FIG. 6, includes a Bluetooth transceiver 126 and an
infrared transceiver 128. Wireless headwall module 94 includes a
controller 130, a communication sensor 132, an infrared transceiver
134, and a Bluetooth transceiver 136. IR transceiver 134 of
wireless headwall module 94 is adapted to communicate using
infrared signals with IR transceiver 128 of patient support
apparatus 20. Bluetooth transceiver 136 of wireless headwall module
94 is adapted to communicate using Bluetooth communications with
Bluetooth transceiver 126 of patient support apparatus 20.
[0093] Controller 130 communicates with communication sensor 132,
transceivers 134 and 136, as well as with additional electronics
that are present on headwall module 94. The additional electronics
may include any of the electronics disclosed in any of the
following commonly assigned patent applications, and wireless
headwall module 94 may be configured to perform any of the
functions disclosed in the following commonly assigned patent
applications: Ser. No. 16/215,911 filed Dec. 11, 2018, by inventors
Alexander Bodurka et al. and entitled HOSPITAL HEADWALL
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM; Ser. No. 16/217,203 filed Dec. 12, 2018, by
inventor Alexander Bodurka, and entitled SMART HOSPITAL HEADWALL
SYSTEM; and Ser. No. 16/193,150 filed Nov. 16, 2018, by inventors
Alexander Bodurka et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES
WITH LOCATION/MOVEMENT DETECTION, the complete disclosures of all
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0094] Wireless headwall module 94 includes a cable 90a having a
connector 98a that is adapted to be inserted into nurse call outlet
88. The additional electronics of wireless headwall module 94 may
also include a nurse call cable interface that communicates with
cable 90a and connector 98a in the same manners as nurse call cable
interface 58 communicates with cable 90 and first connector 96.
That is, the signals on the various pins of 114 of nurse call
outlet 88 are communicated to controller 130 via cable 90a and
controller 130 is adapted to forward those signals to nurse call
wireless interface 60 of patient support apparatus 20 using
transceivers 134 and/or 136. Likewise, wireless headwall module 94
is adapted to receive data from patient support apparatus 20 via
one or both of transceivers 134 and/or 136 and to forward the
received data, as appropriate, to corresponding pins 114 of
connector 98a (which are then forwarded to nurse call outlet 88
when connector 98a is inserted therein).
[0095] Infrared transceiver 134 of headwall module 94 acts as a
location transceiver. Infrared transceiver 134 is a short range
transceiver that emits a short range signal containing an
identifier that is unique to that particular wireless headwall
module. Infrared transceiver 128 of patient support apparatus 20 is
able to detect the short range signal from infrared transceiver 134
when the patient support apparatus 20 is positioned adjacent to
headwall module 94 (e.g. within approximately a meter or two).
Patient support apparatus 20 forwards this unique signal to an off
board server, such as server 78 and/or remote server 84, which
contains a table correlating the unique identifiers of each
headwall module 94 to their location within the healthcare
facility. Server 78 is therefore able to determine the location of
each patient support apparatus 20 within the healthcare facility
whenever the patient support apparatus 20 is positioned adjacent a
headwall module 94. Further explanation of one manner in which
transceivers 126, 128, 134, and 136 may operate are provided in the
following commonly assigned U.S. patent applications: Ser. No.
16/215,911 filed Dec. 11, 2018, by inventors Alexander Bodurka et
al. and entitled HOSPITAL HEADWALL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM; Ser. No.
16/217,203 filed Dec. 12, 2018, by inventor Alexander Bodurka, and
entitled SMART HOSPITAL HEADWALL SYSTEM; and Ser. No. 16/193,150
filed Nov. 16, 2018, by inventors Alexander Bodurka et al. and
entitled PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES WITH LOCATION/MOVEMENT
DETECTION, the complete disclosures of all of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
[0096] Bluetooth transceivers 126 and 136 are used by controllers
112 and 130, respectively, to transmit audio signals between
patient support apparatus 20 and wireless headwall module 94, such
as, but not limited to, the audio signals used to convey the voice
signals of the patient and the remotely positioned nurse. Such
audio signals may also include the audio signals from television 86
and/or a radio or other entertainment device positioned in the room
70. Bluetooth transceivers 126 and 136 may also be used to transmit
other data, such as, but not limited to, status data regarding the
status of patient support apparatus 20, one or more messages
indicating an exit detection alert has been issued, and/or other
data. In some embodiments, wireless headwall module 94 and patient
support apparatus 20 are configured to exchange audio signals
therebetween in any of the manners disclosed in commonly assigned
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/833,943 filed Apr. 15, 2019, by
inventors Alexander Bodurka et al. and entitled PATIENT SUPPORT
APPARATUSES WITH NURSE CALL AUDIO MANAGEMENT, the complete
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0097] In many embodiments, infrared transceivers 128 and 134 are
used to establish the Bluetooth communication link between patient
support apparatus 20. In such embodiments, transceivers 128 and 134
may exchange a unique patient support apparatus ID and a unique
wireless headwall module ID. These IDs are then used as addresses
for the wireless communication between patient support apparatus 20
and wireless headwall module 94. Still other ways of communicating
between patient support apparatus 20 and wireless headwall module
94 may be utilized.
[0098] Communication sensor 132 of wireless headwall module 94
operates in the same manner as communication sensor 120 of patient
support apparatus 20. That is, communication sensor 132 is
electrically coupled to pins 114a and 114b (corresponding to the
Nurse Call Plus (+) and Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed
(NO/NC) pins) and checks to see if a voltage is detected on either
or both of these pins. If it detects a voltage on either or both of
these pins, it concludes that connector 98a of cable 90a is coupled
to nurse call outlet 88. If it does not detect a voltage on at
least one of these pins, it concludes that connector 98a of cable
90a is not coupled to nurse call outlet 88. The coupling of
connector 98a of cable 90a to nurse call outlet 88 replaces the
coupling of connector 98 of cable 90 to nurse call outlet 88. In
other words, nurse call outlet 88 is adapted to receive only a
single cable, either cable 90 or cable 90a. Patient support
apparatus 20 therefore communicates with nurse call outlet 88
either via cable 90 or wirelessly via wireless headwall module 94.
When it communicates via cable 90, second connector 98 of cable 90
is inserted into nurse call outlet 88. When it communicates
wirelessly via wireless headwall module 94, second connector 98a of
cable 90a is inserted into nurse call outlet 88.
[0099] In at least one embodiment, controller 130 of wireless
headwall module 94 is configured to report both of the outputs of
communication sensor 132 (i.e. whether cable 90a is coupled or not
coupled to nurse call outlet 88) to patient support apparatus 20.
That is, controller 130 uses Bluetooth transceiver 136 (or IR
transceiver 134, in some embodiments), to transmit a message to
patient support apparatus 20 indicating whether connector 98a of
cable 90a is connected to nurse call outlet 88 or not. In at least
one embodiment, patient support apparatus 20 includes a separate
indicator 124b that controller 112 controls in order to indicate to
the user the status of wireless headwall module 94 vis-a-vis nurse
call outlet 88. In such embodiments, controller 112 may be
configured to illuminate indicator 124b in a first color (e.g. red
or amber) if wireless headwall module 94 transmits a message to
patient support apparatus 20 indicating that cable 90a is not
coupled to nurse call outlet 88 (as detected by communication
sensor 132), and to illuminate indicator 124b in a second color
(e.g. green) if wireless headwall module 94 transmits a message to
patient support apparatus 20 indicating that cable 90a is coupled
to nurse call outlet 88 (as also detected by communication sensor
132). In this manner, patient support apparatus 20 provides an
indication to the user thereon of the communication status of
wireless headwall module 94.
[0100] In an alternative embodiment, controller 112 of patient
support apparatus 20 is configured to utilize the same indicator
124a to indicate the status of both nurse call cable interface 58
and nurse call wireless interface 60. That is, when either
communication sensor 120 detects a connection to nurse call outlet
88 or communication sensor 132 detects a connection to nurse call
outlet 88 (and reports this to controller 112 via nurse call
wireless interface 60), controller 112 illuminates indicator 124a
in a first color (e.g. green). Further, when neither communication
sensor 120 nor communication sensor 132 detects a respective
connection to nurse call outlet 88, controller 112 illuminates
indicator 124a in a second color (e.g. amber or red). A caregiver
can therefore look at the user interface 48a and indicator 124a of
patient support apparatus 20 to immediately determine if the
patient support apparatus 20 is communicatively coupled to nurse
call system 68 or not.
[0101] In at least one embodiment, patient support apparatus 20 is
configured to automatically select a communication method (wired or
wireless) based on the signals received from communication sensors
120 (and/or cable sensor 116) and 132. In such embodiments, if
communication sensor 120 detects a voltage on pins 114a and/or 114b
(and/or cable sensor 116 detects the presence of cable 90),
controller 112 automatically communicates with nurse call outlet 88
using nurse call cable interface 58. On the other hand, if
communication sensor 132 detects a voltage on pins 114a and/or 114b
and controller 130 sends a message indicating this detection to
patient support apparatus 20 (and to controller 112), controller
112 automatically communicates with nurse call outlet 88 by sending
messages to headwall module 94 using nurse call wireless interface
60. The communication may include not only the audio signals from
the remote nurse and/or patient positioned on patient support
apparatus 20, but also status data regarding patient support
apparatus 20, such as, but not limited to, an alert status of exit
detection system 56, the status of side rails 34 (e.g. raised or
lowered), the status of a brake, the height of litter frame 28,
and/or other status data.
[0102] In at least one embodiment, controller 112 is configured,
after automatically selecting a wired or wireless communication
method (e.g. interface 58 or 60), to continue to use the
automatically selected communication method until it either
receives a signal from one of the communication sensors 120 or 132
(or cable sensor 116) indicating that the currently selected
communication method is no longer viable (e.g. a voltage on pins
114a or 114b is no longer detected) or it is instructed by a
caregiver to switch communication methods. Thus, for example, if a
caregiver unplugs cable 90 from nurse call outlet 88 and inserts
cables 90a therein, the former will be detected by communication
sensor 120 (and possibly cable sensor 116), while the latter will
be detected by communication sensor 132. Based on the signals
received from these two sensors 120 and 132, controller 112 will
automatically switch from wired communication via interface 58 to
wireless communication via interface 60. Patient support apparatus
20 will therefore automatically select whichever communication
method is available without requiring any manual instructions or
manipulation of any controls on any of the user interfaces 48 by
the caregiver.
[0103] Network transceiver 118 (FIG. 6) is a wireless transceiver
adapted to communicate with one or more wireless access points 76
of the healthcare facility's local area network 74. In some
embodiments, transceiver 118 may be a WiFi transceiver adapted to
transmit and receive wireless electrical signals using any of the
various WiFi protocols (IEEE 802.11b, 801.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac .
. . , etc.). In other embodiments, network transceiver 118 may be a
transceiver adapted to communicate using any of the frequencies,
protocols, and/or standards disclosed in commonly assigned U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 62/430,500 filed Dec. 6, 2016, by
inventor Michael Hayes and entitled NETWORK COMMUNICATION FOR
PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUSES, the complete disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference. In still other embodiments,
transceiver 118 may be a wired transceiver that communicates with
network 74 over a wired network, such as an Ethernet cable or the
like. Regardless of whether transceiver 118 is a wired or wireless
transceiver, it enables controller 112 to communicate with one or
more servers on the healthcare facility's network 72, such as, but
not limited to, patient support apparatus server 78.
[0104] Controller 112 uses network transceiver 118 to send messages
to server 78 (and/or server 84) indicating its communication status
with nurse call system 68. The communication status refers to
whether patient support apparatus 20 is communicating via cable
interface 58, wireless interface 60, or not communicating at all.
In some embodiments, server 78 and/or server 84 are configured to
share this data with one or more other devices within the
healthcare facility. For example, in at least one embodiment,
server 78 and/or server 84 are configured to transmit the
communication status of patient support apparatus 20 to one more
electronic devices, such as the electronic devices 104a and/or 104b
disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.
62/868,947 filed Jun. 30, 2019, by inventors Thomas Durlach et al.
and entitled CAREGIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM, the complete disclosure
of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0105] FIG. 7 illustrates a popup window 140 that controller 112 is
adapted to display on display 122 of user interface 48a when nurse
call cable 90 is not coupled to patient support apparatus 20 and/or
nurse call outlet 88. Thus, in those embodiments of patient support
apparatus 20 having cable sensor 116 but not communication sensor
120, controller 112 is adapted to display window 140 when cable
sensor 116 does not detect cable 90 coupled to nurse call cable
interface 58. In those embodiments of patient support apparatus 20
having communication sensor 120 but not cable sensor 116,
controller 112 is adapted to display window 140 when communication
sensor 120 does not detect a voltage on either of pins 114a or
114b. In those embodiments of patient support apparatus 20 having
both communication sensor 120 and cable sensor 116, controller 112
is adapted to display popup window 140 when either (or in some
cases, both) sensors 116 and 120 fail to detect a connection to
cable 90 or to nurse call outlet 88, respectively.
[0106] Popup window 140 is a dismissable popup. That is, window 140
includes an ignore control 142 that may be touched, or otherwise
activated, by a user. When the ignore control 142 is activated,
controller 112 ceases to display window 140 on display 122, and
instead returns to displaying whatever content was previously
displayed prior to displaying window 140. If the user does not
touch the ignore control 142, controller 112 continues to display
window 140 until the user corrects the communication connection
between patient support apparatus 20 and nurse call system 68 (e.g.
by plugging cable 90 into both nurse call outlet 88 and patient
support apparatus 20). If the user touches the ignore control 142,
controller 112 continues to illuminate indicator 124a in a manner
that indicates that patient support apparatus 20 is not properly
coupled to nurse call system 68 (and continues to do so until
properly coupled thereto). In some embodiments, controller 112 is
adapted to also cease displaying window 140 if nurse call wireless
interface 60 establishes communication with wireless headwall
module 94 and wireless headwall module 94 indicates that cable 90a
is coupled to nurse call outlet 88.
[0107] FIG. 8 illustrates another popup window 144 that controller
112 is adapted to display on display 122 of user interface 48a when
nurse call cable 90a of wireless headwall module 94 is not coupled
to nurse call outlet 88. Thus, when controller 112 is in
communication with wireless headwall module 94 and wireless
headwall module 94 reports to controller 112 that its connector 98a
is not coupled to nurse call outlet 88 (as detected by
communication sensor 132), controller 112 is adapted to display
popup window 144. As with popup window 140, window 144 is a
dismissable popup window that includes an ignore control 142.
Controller 112 continues to display window 144 until the user
either activates ignore control 142 or cable 90a of wireless
headwall module 94 is coupled to nurse call outlet 88. In some
embodiments, controller 112 will also cease displaying window 144
if cable sensor 116 and/or communication sensor 120 detect a
connection to cable 90 and/or to nurse call outlet 88,
respectively.
[0108] Regardless of whether or not the user activates the ignore
control 142 of window 144, controller 112 is configured to continue
to illuminate indicator 124b in a manner that indicates that
wireless headwall module 94 is not properly coupled to nurse call
system 68 (and continues to do so until module 94 is properly
coupled thereto, or patient support apparatus 20 is properly
coupled thereto via nurse call wired interface 58).
[0109] FIGS. 9-12 illustrate several different variations of cable
sensor 116 that may be utilized with patient support apparatus 20.
FIG. 9 illustrates a cable sensor 116a that is implemented as a
Hall effect sensor. Cable sensor 116a is positioned on patient
support apparatus 20 such that first connector 96 of cable 90 will
be positioned adjacent to sensor 116a when connector 96 is coupled
to nurse call wired interface 58 of patient support apparatus 20.
When implemented in this manner, the Hall Effect sensor 116a may be
a relatively high sensitivity sensor that detects changes in its
voltage due to the presence or absence of the magnetic field
generated by connector 96. Alternatively, a specialized connector
96 having a magnet integrated therein may be used, in which case
Hall Effect sensor 116a may be a relatively low sensitivity sensor
whose voltage varies in response to the adjacent presence of
absence of connector 96. In either case, sensor 116a detects the
presence or absence of connector 96 based upon the changes in its
output voltage (due to the present or absent adjacent magnetic
field of connector 96), and reports the absence or presence of
connector 96 to controller 112.
[0110] FIG. 10 illustrates two cable sensors 116b and 116c. These
two sensors 116b and 116c are illustrated as being combined onto a
single patient support apparatus in FIG. 10, but this is merely
done for purposes of drawing brevity. In an actual embodiment,
patient support apparatus 20 will typically only include a single
one of these sensors 116b or 116c (although, in some embodiments,
multiple sensors 116 may be included).
[0111] Cable sensor 116b is a Reed switch having a flexible arm 146
that is pushed toward the body of the sensor 116b by connector 96
when connector 96 is coupled to patient support apparatus 20.
Flexible arm 146 is biased outwardly from the body of sensor 116b
such that when connector 96 is unplugged from patient support
apparatus, flexible arm 146 flexes away from the body of sensor
116b to a greater extent than what is shown in FIG. 10. The
position of flexible arm 146 is detected by Reed switch 116b and
reported to controller 112.
[0112] Cable sensor 116c is an optical sensor that emits an optical
beam across a portion of the port on patient support apparatus 20
into which cable connector 96 is to be inserted. When connector 96
is not coupled to patient support apparatus 20, the optical beam is
emitted such that it impinges upon a reflective plate 150 that
reflects the beam back toward optical sensor 116c. Optical sensor
116c includes a sensor that detects this reflected optical beam.
Sensor 116c therefore detects the reflected beam when connector 96
is not coupled to patient support apparatus 20 and does not detect
the reflected beam when connector 96 is coupled to patient support
apparatus 20. Sensor 116c reports this absence or presence of cable
connector 96 to controller 112.
[0113] FIG. 11 is a side view of another alternative cable sensor
116d that may be utilized with patient support apparatus 20. FIG.
12 illustrates cable sensor 116d from an end view. Cable sensor
116d is an inductive sensor that is adapted to detect changes in
inductance due to the adjacent presence or absence of cable
connector 96. In some embodiments, cable sensor 116 is shielded
behind a plastic or non-ferrous material in order to shield itself
from inductance changes due to sources other than the absence or
presence of connector 96. Cable sensor 116d may utilize a resonant
circuit whose resonance changes based on changes in inductance due
to the absence or presence of connector 96, or cable sensor 116d
may detect inductance changes in other manners. Cable sensor 116d
reports the absence or presence of cable connector 96 to controller
112.
[0114] It will be understood that, although patient support
apparatus 20 is shown in FIG. 6 as including both nurse call cable
interface 58 and nurse call wireless interface 60, patient support
apparatus 20 may be modified in some alternative embodiments to
include only a single one of these interface 58, 60. When including
only a single one of these interfaces, user interface 48a may
further be modified to only include a single one of indicators 124a
or 124b. Further, it will be understood that, although patient
support apparatus 20 is shown in FIG. 6 as including both cable
sensor 116 and communication sensor 120, patient support apparatus
20 may be modified in some alternative embodiments to include only
a single one of these sensors 116, 120.
[0115] It will also be understood that still other modifications
may be made to patient support apparatus 20 and/or wireless
headwall module 94. For example, in any of the embodiments
described herein, cable sensor 116 may be repositioned, or
duplicated, at the opposite end of cable 90 (i.e. the end that
couples to nurse call outlet 88) such that the coupling of cable 90
to nurse call outlet 88 is also, or alternatively, detected. Still
further, for wireless headwall module 94a, which does not include a
cable 90a, communication sensor 132 may be replaced by, or
supplemented with, a sensor similar to cable sensor 116 that
detects when connector 102 is coupled to nurse call outlet 88 by
detecting the physical proximity of connector 102 to outlet 88, or
vice versa.
[0116] In some alternative embodiments, communication sensors 120
and/or 132 are modified to monitor the voltage on more than the two
pins mentioned above (i.e. the Nurse Call Plus (+) pin and the
Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC) pin). For example,
in at least one such modified embodiment, communication sensor 120
and/or 132 is modified to monitor the voltage on four pins: the
Nurse Call Plus (+) pin, the Priority Normally Open/Normally Closed
(NO/NC) pin, the Nurse Call Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC)
pin (pin 26 in FIG. 17), and the Priority Common pin (pin 31 in
FIG. 17). In these modified embodiments, if voltage is detected on
any of these four pins, controller 112 concludes that a successful
connection has been established with the nurse call system. The
addition of pins 26 and 31 (from FIG. 17) to the list of pins
monitored by communication sensors 120 and/or 132 is included
because it has been found that, in some nurse call systems, the
polarity of pair of pins 25 and 26 (from FIG. 17) is reversed
and/or the polarity of pins 30 and 31 (from FIG. 17) is reversed.
By monitoring the voltage on all four of these pins, if any one of
them have a non-zero voltage, controller 112 interprets this as due
to a successful connection with the nurse call system.
[0117] Still further, in another alternative embodiment,
communication sensors 120 and/or 132 may be modified to monitor the
voltage on the Nurse Call Light+pin (pin 19 in FIG. 17) and the
Nurse Call Light-pin (pin 28 in FIG. 17). These pins may be
monitored in addition to, or in lieu of, any of the previously
mentioned pins. It has been found that many nurse call systems will
generate a relatively low voltage (e.g. about two volts) on at
least one of these pins, even when no nurse call is taking place
(the voltage increases when a nurse call takes place and the nurse
call light is illuminated). Communication sensors 120 and/or 132
can therefore monitor the voltage on these pins to determine if a
connection has been successfully established with the nurse call
system.
[0118] In some embodiments, controller 112 concludes that a
successful connection to the nurse call system has taken place only
if multiple pins are detected with a non-zero voltage, and/or only
if cable sensor 116 detects a cable. In other embodiments,
controller 112 concludes that a successful connection to the nurse
call system has taken place if any of one or more of the pins has a
non-zero voltage, regardless of the other pin(s) and regardless of
the output of cable sensor 116 (if included). Still other
variations are possible.
[0119] In at least one embodiment, patient support apparatus 20
and/or wireless headwall module 94 includes both first monitoring
circuit 200 and second monitoring circuit 220 (FIGS. 13 and 14,
respectively). First monitoring circuit 200 includes four inputs
202a-d. Input 202a is electrically coupled to the positive nurse
call answer light pin 114 of nurse call outlet 88 (pin 16 of FIG.
17). Input 202b is electrically coupled to the negative nurse call
answer light pin 114 of nurse call outlet 88 (pin 29 of FIG. 17).
Input 202c is electrically coupled to the positive nurse call light
pin 114 of nurse call outlet 88 (pin 19 of FIG. 17), and input 202d
is electrically coupled to the negative nurse call light pin 114 of
nurse call outlet 88 (pin 28 of FIG. 17). First monitoring circuit
is configured to detect any voltage between inputs 202a-b, as well
as any voltage between inputs 202c-d. The first set of inputs
202a-b are fed to a first diode bridge 204a and the second set of
inputs 202c-d are fed to a second diode bridge 204b. Diode bridges
204a-b act to allow the polarity of each of their respective inputs
202 to be reversed without affecting the detection of the voltage
between these two pairs of inputs.
[0120] The output from first diode bridge 204a is fed to a first
voltage divider 206a comprised of resistors R1 and R2. The output
from second diode bridge 204b is fed to a second voltage divider
206b comprised of resistors R3 and R4. The voltage across resistor
R2 is coupled to a first A/D converter 208a, and the voltage across
the resistor R4 is coupled to a second A/D converter 208b. The
outputs 210a,b of both first A/D converter 208a and second A/D
converter 208b are fed to a microcontroller that is part of
controller 112 (when first monitoring circuit 200 is included one
patient support apparatus 20) or that is part of controller 130
(when first monitoring circuit 200 is included as part of wireless
headwall module 94).
[0121] It can therefore be seen from FIG. 13 that if a positive
voltage is present between inputs 202a and 202b, the digital value
of this positive voltage will be fed to controller 112 or 130 on
first output 210a. Similarly, if a positive voltage is present
between inputs 202c and 202d, the digital value of this positive
voltage will be fed to controller 112 or 130 on second output 210b.
Controller 112 or 130 concludes that it is electrically coupled to
nurse call outlet 88 if either output 210a or 210b has a non-zero
voltage (or, in some embodiments, a non-zero voltage with an
absolute value above a minimal threshold (e.g. 0.1 to 0.5
volts).
[0122] Turning to second monitoring circuit 220 (FIG. 14), it
includes four inputs 222a-d. Input 222a is electrically coupled to
the positive nurse call pin 114 of nurse call outlet 88 (pin 25 of
FIG. 17). Input 222b is electrically coupled to the nurse call
Normally Open/Normally Closed (NO/NC) pin 114 of nurse call outlet
88 (pin 26 of FIG. 17). Input 222c is electrically coupled to the
Priority NO/NC pin 114 of nurse call outlet 88 (pin 30 of FIG. 17),
and input 222d is electrically coupled to the Priority Common pin
114 of nurse call outlet 88 (pin 31 of FIG. 17). Second monitoring
circuit 220 is configured to detect any voltage between inputs
222a-b, as well as any voltage between inputs 222c-d. The first set
of inputs 222a-b are fed to a first low voltage comparator 224a and
the second set of inputs 222c-d are fed to a second low voltage
comparator 224b.
[0123] The output from first low voltage comparator 224a is fed to
a first transistor Q1 and the output from the second low voltage
comparator 224b is fed to a second transistor Q2. Depending on the
voltages fed to transistors Q1 and Q2, the drains of each of the
respective transistors are either switched to a low voltage state
or a high voltage state. These respective states are coupled to a
first side of an optical isolator 226. Optical isolator 226 has a
second side coupled to first line 228a and second line 228b. Each
line 228a and 228b is electrically coupled to the same
microcontroller (part of controller 112 or 130) that outputs 210a
and 210b of first circuit 200 are coupled to. Line 228a will
therefore indicate to the microcontroller when a voltage is
detected between inputs 222a and 222b. Similarly, lines 228b will
indicate to the microcontroller when a voltage is detected between
inputs 222c and 222d. Controller 112 or 130 concludes that it is
electrically coupled to nurse call outlet 88 if either line 228a or
228b indicates a non-zero voltage (or, in some embodiments, a
non-zero voltage with an absolute value above a minimal threshold
(e.g. 0.1 to 0.5 volts).
[0124] In combination, controller 112 or 130 uses first and second
monitoring circuits 200 and 220, in at least one embodiment, to
detect if the patient support apparatus 20 or wireless headwall
unit 94 is electrically coupled to nurse call outlet 88 by looking
for voltages between any of the four following pairs of inputs: (1)
inputs 202a and 202b; (2) inputs 202c and 202d; (3) inputs 222a and
222b; and (4) inputs 222c and 222d. If controller 112 or 130
detects a voltage on any one of these four pairs, it concludes that
it is electrically coupled to the nurse call outlet 88. If it does
not, it concludes there is no such connection and, in at least some
embodiments, issues an alert.
[0125] In any of the embodiments discussed herein, patient support
apparatus 20 and/or headwall unit 94 may be user-configurable with
respect to notifications regarding a lack of connection with nurse
call outlet 88. That is, in some embodiments, patient support
apparatus 20 includes a screen, switch, or other control that
enables a user to choose between first and second states for the
detection of the connection to the nurse call outlet 88. In the
first state, if the controller 112 or 130 does not detect a
connection to the nurse call outlet 88, it issues an alert to the
user (locally at headwall unit 94 and/or patient support apparatus
20; remotely at a nurses' station and/or a mobile electronic device
in communication with patient support apparatus 20; or a
combination of both). In the second state, if the controller 112 or
130 does not detect a connection to the nurse call outlet 88, it
does not issue an alert. Alternatively, in the second state, the
controller 112 and/or 130 may be configured to not even process the
inputs indicative of whether or not it is connected to nurse call
outlet 88.
[0126] By having two different states, a user can determine if he
or she wants to receive alerts when either patient support
apparatus 20 or wireless headwall module 94 is disconnected from
the nurse call outlet 88. This can be useful if the user wishes to
avoid nuisance alerts in situations where such a disconnection may
be deliberate, common, and/or otherwise known to the user. In such
situations, the user can select the second state (no alerts).
Alternatively, if there are situations where the user wishes such
alerts to be issued, he or she can select the first state.
[0127] In some embodiments, the selection between the first and
second states is made by accessing user interface 48a onboard
patient support apparatus 20. Alternatively, or additionally, the
selection between the first and second states may be made by the
user by accessing a switch, control, or other structure that is
directly attached to headwall unit 94. Still further, user
interface 48a may be configured to allow a user to select and the
first or second state and then communicate that information to
wireless headwall 94 via controller 112 and one or both of
transceivers 126 and/or 128.
[0128] Various additional alterations and changes beyond those
already mentioned herein can be made to the above-described
embodiments. This disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes
and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all
embodiments or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific
elements illustrated or described in connection with these
embodiments. For example, and without limitation, any individual
element(s) of the described embodiments may be replaced by
alternative elements that provide substantially similar
functionality or otherwise provide adequate operation. This
includes, for example, presently known alternative elements, such
as those that might be currently known to one skilled in the art,
and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such
as those that one skilled in the art might, upon development,
recognize as an alternative. Any reference to claim elements in the
singular, for example, using the articles "a," "an," "the" or
"said," is not to be construed as limiting the element to the
singular.
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